My Aunt's Labyrinth
by ALadyofDreams
Summary: This story takes place years after the movie, with Sarah Williams dying an old woman and leaving her niece, Kate, to decide if her aunt's tales of the Labyrinth were the ramblings of a mentally unstable woman or something more...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1.

Kate gripped the steering wheel and stared out into the black night.

She had been on this road now for hours, mindlessly staring at the

gray pavement in front of her as she drove on. Her thoughts kept

drifting backwards in time, back to the days of her childhood as she

remembered her beloved Aunt Sarah.

Aunt Sarah...

The words brought to mind a wise old woman with dark brown hair and a

wrinkled face. She had been a wonderful aunt, and Kate had been

closer to her than she had her own mother. She recalled the many

times her parents would drop her off at Aunt Sarah's, and how exicted

she was to be there. The weekends spent with her aunt were the best

times of her childhood, when she would listen to the fanastic stories

her aunt claimed had really happened to her. Aunt Sarah was forever

telling tales that would awe any child: about the handsome Goblin

King, of her friends Hoggle and Ludo, of the Labyrinth itself. Kate

remembered the many nights her aunt would tuck her in bed, telling

the stories over and over again. Kate would ask all sorts of

questions; what did the Goblin King look like? Had she been

frightened? How did the ballroom song go again? And her aunt would

tell her everything with a small smile on her lips, as if the memory

took her back to another time and place - the time of her youth.

Even now, Kate could see herself in bed, covers pulled up tightly

under her chin. Aunt Sarah sat beside her, humming the haunting

ballroom tune. "But why didn't you stay?" she would ask her aunt.

Sarah would chuckle softly. "Because I didn't want him to rule me. I

wanted to rule myself. And because I was terribly stubborn."

"He was in love with you!" Kate would cry excitedly.

Her aunt would meerly shrug. "I was too young to understand at the

time. Even now, I don't know if he loved me or not. Can Goblin kings

love at all?"

And Kate would say that of course they could. They had to. It made

the story all the more wonderful thinking that he had.

"Well, I would have stayed with him," she would tell her aunt. "I

would have been his queen." And she meant it. To a girl of six, whose

parents never stopped fighting, whose home life was never peaceful

and happy, living in the Labyrinth sounded too good to be true. And

having the love of a Goblin king sounded like the best fairy tale she

had ever heard. She would go to sleepand dream that she herself was

in the crystal ballroom, dressed in a shimmering white gown and

dancing with Jareth.

Jareth.

Kate gripped the steering wheel tighter. He had been her dream. When

other girls had fantasized about boy rock bands and movie stars, she

had been dreaming of Jareth. As a young girl she had been sure she

was in love with him. And now...and now Kate was an adult, twenty-two

years old and much too mature to believe in such things as labyrinths

and goblin kings. The stories she had heard in childhood were just

that now - stories. They were nice memories, but however much she

wished them to be true, they simply were not.

It bothered Kate that her aunt believed them. She knew for a fact

that Aunt Sarah honestly thought she had gone to the Labyrinth when

she was fifteen, had defeated Jareth, and had come home to tell about

it. Most of the family said her to be a bit "eccentric" and a few

went so far as to call her "crazy." Had her aunt been mentally

unstable? Had she spent her life living in a fantasy world?

Kate kept on driving, and about an hour later she pulled in the

driveway of her aunt's home. It was a large two-story with enormous

trees looming over it. Kate spied her Uncle Toby's car parked beside

the house, and decided to pull up near it.

Uncle Toby had called her yesterday morning to tell her the sad news

of her aunt's death. Kate had cried the entire time she had packed

her belongings in her suitcases. She headed out around noon, and now,

a full day later, she had finally arrived. She stepped out of the car

and shivered as tiny flecks of snow began to fall.

She dreaded going inside and saying hello to everyone. She almost

wished she could sleep in her car and leave tomorrow afternoon

directly after the funeral. Taking a deep breath, she started for the

front door, pulling her gray wool coat tightly around her for added

warmth.

Kate didn't see the large oak tree in the front yard, nor did she see

the white owl perched in the top branch. He was watching her every

move, and didn't fly away until she had closed the door soundly

behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

Kate had barely knocked on the front door when it was thrown open,

and she instantly found herself in dear old Uncle Toby's arms. She

felt tears threaten to spill as she clung to her uncle, a bounty of

memories flooding back to her. Together, her aunt and uncle had been

the parents she had always wished to had.

Uncle Toby kissed the top of her head. "It's so good to see you

again. How was your trip?"

Kate pulled away slightly, looking up at her uncle. Though they had

kept in touch by phone, it had been nearly five years since she had

seen him, and she was surprised how much she had changed in that

time. A curly mop of white replaced his blonde curls, and there were

deep lines in his face that she hadn't remembered before. He was

wearing a thick, yellow sweater that appeared a little too snug for

his portly frame, and as he took a step back, she noticed his obvious

limp. At sixty-odd years of age, she knew he wouldn't be as young and

vibrant as he had once been, but she hadn't expected his age to show

so evidently.

"It was a long trip, but I'm glad I'm here," she murmured as she

stood on tip toe to kiss his cheek. "How are you holding up?"

Her uncle sighed deeply and nodded. "As well as can be expected,

under the circumstances. The neighbor lady was over here earlier,

bringing me a casserole, and your cousins Eddie and Pat came last

night. They're in the living room watching tv."

Kate groaned inwardly at this bit of news. Cousin Eddie and Pat! She

hadn't seen them in ages, and for good reason. As children they had

tormented her mercilessly, calling her names like "Katie the Creep"

and "Crazy Kate". Their name calling hadn't bothered her that much

back then, and she had always tried hard to ignore it. What really

angered her was when they started on about Aunt Sarah. She could hear

them now, as children, saying, "She needs to be locked up in the

loony bin. She's nuts!"

Kate shivered at the memory, but told herself she must try to get

along with her cousins as good as possible. The last thing she wanted

to do was upset Uncle Toby.

The old bedroom looked the same as she had left it. Kate stepped

inside the large room and shut the door securely behind her. She had

just told her uncle that she would say hi to er cousins after putting

away her belongings. Now, she tossed her single suitcase onto the bed

and quickly opened it.

There wasn't much there. A few pairs of slacks and jeans, some t-

shirts, socks and undergarments, her makeup case and hair gel. She

thought back to the tiny apartment she had been living in when Uncle

Toby called her with the awful news. A lumpy bed, one thread-bare

chair, and a couple of pictures on the wall made up what she

called "home". She had always dreamed of living in a palace, or at

least, a nice, beautiful home of her own. But life didn't always work

out as planned. After all, she hadn't invisioned a life in Paul's

Pizza Parlor, either.

Kate frowned and tossed a pair of socks into a nearby drawer. Twenty-

two, no boyfriend, no friends of any kind, for that matter, living in

a tiny room above a loud, smelly pizza place. In the years since her

childhood she had learned one thing : real life was no fairy tale.

A sense of sadness filled her, and Kate swung around to look at

herself in the round mirror above the large, antique dresser. Some

said she looked like Aunt Sarah: the same long, dark hair and

stubborn chin. But Kate didn't think she looked at all like her

beloved aunt. Kate's eyes were much bluer, maybe even sadder, and she

had chopped of her waist-length hair in high school. Now it hung just

below her shoulders.

Suddenly she turned her back on the mirror, her eyes searching the

room and remembering so much. The rose wallpaper, the huge canopy bed

with it's cream and flower print bedspread, the window seat where, as

a child, she would sit and look out into the night sky, wondering how

far it was to the Underground.

The Underground.

Kate let out a weary sigh and flung herself onto the large bed. It

was here that she listened to Aunt Sarah's stories, here that she

dreamed of Jareth. In this bed - in this very room - she had fancied

herself the Goblin Queen, telling herself that one day he would come

for her. And when he did...she would go willingly.


	3. Chapter 3

When all of her belongings had been put away, and her suitcase lay

empty on the floor of the closet, Kate decided it was time to say

hello to her cousins.

She didn't feel emotionally ready to deal with their constant insults

and painful teasing, but she knew there was so escaping it. They were

all under the same roof now, and she could only avoid them so long.

Slowly, she walked down the staircase, her heart pounding in her

ears. They had always made her nervous, because she had always felt

so inferior to them, as if she was the child and they the adults. She

knew they were talking about her, whispering about "Crazy Kate",

snickering to themselves as they looked her up and down. At the

bottom of the stairs, she took a deep breath and wiped her sweaty

palms on the sides of her jeans. Then, without further ado, she

entered the living room.

It, too, was exactly as she remembered it. The walls were painted a

pale cream, and pictures hung here and there. A green sofa sat along

the far wall, and a wilted plant drooped lifelessly over one arm. She

wondered when the last time Aunt Sarah had watered it.

Someone cleared their throat, and she quickly turned to see Eddie

grinning at her. Time hadn't changed him very much; he was still

short, plump, and curly-haired. When he grinned he had deep dimples,

and a chill went down Kate's spine as she looked at that grin. It

wasn't a very nice one.

Beside him sat a pretty young woman who had to be Pat. She still wore

her black hair long and parted in the middle, but the years had

matured her once-plain features. She was rather pretty, Kate had to

admit, though she hated doing so. Pat's green eyes - cat eyes, Kate

had always called them - traveled from the top of her head to her

toes. Sizing me up, Kate thought. Inspecting me. It occured to her

that Uncle Toby wasn't present, and she wondered where he was.

"Dearest little cousin!" Pat cried, her voice so shrill Kate wondered

if she'd crack the mirror hanging nearby. "It's so good to see you,

but so sad under such...terrible circumstances. You must have driven

a long way - you look so tired and miserable!"

That's not the reason I'm miserable, Kate thought darkly, but forced

a tight smile. "Pat," she said, and then turning to her other

cousin, "and Eddie. It's been a long time."

Pat raised a black brow. "It has. Well, you haven't changed a bit.

Still that boyish little girl I remember."

Boyish? Kate glanced down at herself, wondering where that had come

from. She had never thought of herself as boyish.

"Don't worry dear," Pat said quickly, amusement lacing her

words. "Some of us just develop faster."

Kate's cheeks turned scarlet, and she was suddenly, painfully aware

of every fiber of her being. Why did they make her feel this way?

"Come and sit down, Kate," Eddie called, patting the cushioned seat

next to him. "Let's catch up on old times, huh?"

"Goodie," Kate murmured under her breath, but did as he asked. Once

she was seated, she felt slightly more comfortable. "I can't believe

she is really gone," she whispered.

"Who?" Eddie was clearly puzzled.

"Aunt Sarah, of course!"

"Oh. Yeah, a real shame. But I guess she's out of her misery now."

Kate could hardly believe her ears. She stared at her cousin,

searching his face for any trace of sadness or remorse. She found

none. "What do you mean, she's out of her misery?" She asked, her

tone rising in anger. "She was healthy until the day she died. She

never had any pain or illness. How can you say such an awful thing?"

Eddie shrugged. This time, Pat helped him out. "I think what he meant

was, she was mentally unstable."

Kate clenched her fists. "She was eccentric, but wonderfully so.

Don't you two remember how kind and loving she was to us? How she

always went the extra mile to entertain us?"

"She was a loony old bat," Eddie argued, his chubby face

reddening. "And anyone BUT a loony old bat would know it. She was

crazy, Kate, and if you don't think so, maybe you should have your

head examined."

"I agree," Pat chimed in. "Those stories she told...she actually

believed them. They were such wild, fantastic tales." The young woman

stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Remember that one she told us, about

the Goblin King and the maze?"

"The Labyrinth," Kate cut in softly.

"Yes, that's it! The Labyrinth. She really thought she went there and

defeated that king. Jared, I think his name was."

"Jareth." It was hardly a whisper.

Pat shrugged. "Whatever. My point is, she believed it."

"So did Kate," Eddie taunted, reaching over to pinch Kate's

arm. "Maybe she still does."

Kate jerked from his grasp, repulsion filling her. "Don't be stupid,"

she muttered angrily.

"Well, you do remember a lot about the story," he said matter-of-

factly.

"And you were in love with the Goblin King," added Pat.

At this, Kate nearly fell off the love seat. How did they

know? "Look, guys, that was a long time ago. I was a kid! If I still

believed in the Labyrinth, I would be - "

"Crazy." Pat's face showed pure delight. "Crazy Kate, after all."


	4. Chapter 4

That night, the dream came again. It had disrupted her sleep many

times, always occuring when she least expected it, always taunting

her with memories. Memories of things she had once longed for and

knew she would never be able to have. Memories of him.

It always started out the same way. She was standing in a large

bubble, and the room before her was filled with velvets and silks and

pearls. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings, and the walls

seemed to be made of diamonds. People were dancing in long, slow,

seductive movements, and they were all wearing ornately carved masks.

As she took a step forward, music began to play. She didn't reconize

the tune, but found herself softly humming along to it. There were

words in the music, romantic and haunting at the same time. Her eyes

searched the crowd, as if she was looking for someone, but even she

had no idea who she was seeking.

She caught a glimpse of herself in a gold-gilt mirror, surprised at

how different she looked. Her hair was done up in an elaborate

upsweep, and she was wearing a scarlet gown. The gown had mounds and

mounds of silk, so much so that she felt she was nearly drowning in

it. Ruby earrings dangled from her ears, and she saw that her cheeks

were flushed. She looked beautiful, more beautiful than she had ever

looked, and she wished she could keep on dreaming forever. Why did it

matter if she awoke? What did she really have to go back to? How

could she ever trade this gown for jeans and a sweatshirt? How could

she ever go back to the pizza parlor after a night at the ball?

Suddenly, she felt all eyes on her. She turned to see all the dancers

staring at her openly, questioningly. She noticed that she was the

only woman without a partner, that she had come to this party very

alone. And she was the only one without a mask.

A handsome dancer approached her, and she thought he was going to ask

her to dance. She took a step toward him, only to realize he was

looking at someone else. She was not the object of his desire.

Kate swirled around, the music louder now, and she swore she heard

the masked dancers laugh. They were laughing at her, because she was

alone and no one wanted to dance with her. No one wanted her at all.

She felt tears sting her eyes. Hadn't it always been this way?

She felt a hand on her elbow, and looked down to see an old woman

smiling up at her. The woman was short and elfish, and Kate wondered

if she was a goblin. She wasn't dressed for a ball, and she sported

no mask, either.

"You are looking for someone," the woman said cryptically.

"No one will dance with me," Kate whispered, hearing the pain in her

own voice.

"That's because they aren't the ones for you," the goblin answered

back. "He's searching for you, you know."

Kate frowned, puzzled. "Who is?"

"He is. He has no partner either."

Kate shook her head. She had no idea what this strange little woman

was talking about.

"Look," Kate said, impatient, "I don't know what you mean. You are

speaking in riddles. I just don't - "

Suddenly, the woman gasped. She was staring beyond Kate, into the

crowd. "There he is!" She cried.

Kate turned, feeling as though the entire atmosphere had turned into

slow motion. The music had stopped, the dancers had stopped, and it

felt like time itself has ceased to exist in this dream-world. Her

eyes widened as she saw a tall, slender man a few feet away from her.

He was dressed in a royal blue jacket, and blue glitter dusted his

long, blonde hair. He was by no means traditionally handsome, yet

there was something about him that struck her. He was mysterious and

seductive, and when his eyes met hers, it was as if a bolt of

lightning had seared through her very soul.

Jareth.

His lips turned up in a slow smile. He had come for her, this she

knew.

Kate sat bolt upright in bed, sweat and tears pouring down her

cheeks. She was shaking all over, and her pulse was roaring in her

ears. It had seemed so real, as it always had. Slowly she got out of

bed and went to the window, putting her fevered forhead on the cool

glass. The dream had tormented her for years. She loved and dreaded

it at the same time.

Kate shivered and wrapped her arms tightly around herself. Coming

here had brought so many memories flooding back. Would she ever be

able to forget them?


	5. Chapter 5

The day of the funeral dawned cold and wet, and Kate supposed it was

a fitting atmosphere. She chose the only outfit in her wardrobe that

seemed appropriate "funeral clothes": A simple black dress that

nearly reached her ankles, and matching high heels. As she dressed,

her thoughts wandered to past funerals, and she shivered at the

horrible memories.

Kate's mother had passed away of cancer two years earlier, and a few

short months after that, her father had taken his own life, unable to

live without his beloved wife. He gave no thought to me, Kate would

often think to herself, anger rising in her. And so, within the space

of a year, she had been left without either parent. She didn't have

many relatives, and the ones she did have were scattered around the

country, some even living overseas. Uncle Toby was the only close

relative she had left now.

Dear, sweet Uncle Toby. She smiled as she thought of him. How she

wished she could turn back the hands of time, and do things over. She

would have made more of an effort to spend time with her aunt and

uncle.

It was true that she was the only one in the family who felt a

special bond with them. Kate's mom had been Sarah's much younger half-

sister. About ten years after Toby was born, Sarah's father and

stepmother had had another child, who would one day be Kate's mother.

Since there was such an age difference between Kate's mom and Sarah,

they had never been close. But Kate supposed it wasn't just the age

gap that caused the strained relationship. Everyone in the family

thought Aunt Sarah was crazy, and it seemed only children enjoyed

listening to her wild stories. Kate remembered that whenever Sarah's

name came up, her parents would just shake their heads and

mutter, "It's sad, it's really sad". But Kate didn't think anything

about Aunt Sarah was sad...

Now, as an adult, Kate saw things more clearly. She understood where

her parents were coming from back then. Sarah had never married, and

had lived her entire life as the town eccentric. At Halloween, kids

were afraid to come trick or treating, because everyone thought she

was a "witch". The two-story brick house with enormous oaks flanking

either side was indeed a creepy-looking place, though Kate thought it

was wonderful. And she still did.

Tucking her hair behind her ears, Kate slipped on her shoes and

headed for the door. Her legs felt weak as she descended the

staircase and climbed into Uncle Toby's car. She was glad she

wouldn't be driving this day. Pat and Eddie soon joined her,

squeezing themselves into the tiny space on either side of her, until

Kate could hardly breath. She noticed Pat reeked of cheap perfume,

and Eddie had the smell of peanut-butter on his breath.

Ugh. Kate cringed. A moment later, her uncle started up the engine

and then they were off.

It was a simple graveside service, because there were only four

family members in attendance. As the minister spoke, Kate looked down

at the dark, shiny coffin, and wondered why nobody else had

come. "Busy with their own lives," Uncle Toby had said as he gave a

brave smile, but Kate wasn't buying it. Aunt Sarah was family, after

all. The real reason no one had arrived was because they didn't want

to waste any precious time over their crazy relative. Just as Eddie

had said "she's better off" so had many others, Kate was certain.

She felt tears sting her eyes as the coffin was slowly lowered into

the dark, damp earth. It had started to rain, a light drizzle, and

she could feel icy droplets fall onto her skull. Her high heels were

covered in mud, and some of it had even splashed onto her legs.

Shivering, she wrapped her black wool coat tightly around her, and

crossed her arms over her chest for added warmth.

"I'm cold and starved," whined Eddie, scowling hard. "It's over. Can

we please get back in the car now?"

"Yeah, c'mon," chimed in Pat, looking pale and miserable in a bright

yellow rain slicker. "This mud is just ruining my shoes. They're

Prada, you know. It's going to take me a month to get them clean."

Uncle Toby sighed and looked over at Kate. "I guess we should take

them back," he whispered.

His niece nodded slowly. "I'll meet you at the car, OK? I just want a

minute by myself."

Her uncle gave her an understanding smile, and patted her shoulder

gently. "Sure. Take your time."

Kate watched as the three of them went toward the car, and then she

turned back to the grave. She let the tears come freely now, and they

felt hot against her cold cheeks. Her eye makeup burned her eyes and

she didn't care.

"Oh Aunt Sarah," she choked out. "I miss you so much. I wish...I

wish...I wish so many things that I know can never be."

A bitter breeze rustled by just then, chilling her to the core. Her

hair blew wildly, and her teeth chattered. Suddenly, it stopped, and

an eerie stillness descended over the graveyard.

"Goodbye," she whispered brokenly, trying in vain to wipe the tears

from her face. She was just about to turn away when something caught

her eye. High above, in a towering tree, sat a white owl. It was

perched on a limb, and it's large eyes were staring down, watching

her.

Shrugging, Kate finally turned and headed for the car. She stumbled

once, her heel getting stuck in the mud, but she finally managed to

get to the car.

The car drove away, leaving the owl alone in the graveyard.


	6. Chapter 6

That night, when the funeral was over and Aunt Sarah's body rested in

Pineview Cemetery, Kate awoke from a restless sleep and went to the

window. It was a cold night that promised frost, but Uncle Toby kept

the heat on so high in the house, that Kate was perfectly comfortable

in a pair of pajama bottoms and a tank top. Now as she approached the

window, she could feel a slight chill creeping from beneath the

panes.

Shivering slightly, she wrapped her arms around her chest and sat

down on the window seat. Silver moonlight lit the otherwise black

sky, and highlighted the enormous oak tree that stood a few feet from

the window. All the leaves had fallen the month before, leaving the

branches exposed. They reminded her of deformed claws scratching

their sharp nails as they reached into the air. She shivered again

and closed her eyes a moment, her forehead pressed against the cool

glass.

Suddenly Kate's eyes snapped open, and she found herself staring at a

white owl perched quietly in the tree, just feet from where she sat.

She let out a strangled gasp of surprise but didn't dare move, lest

she scare it away. There was something sad about the owl, if owls

could be sad. It's eyes were wide and alarmed, and stared at her so

intensely, as if it were trying to make contact with her in some way.

She remembered seeing a white owl earlier that day, in the cemetery.

Could it be the same one?

In the back of her mind, she began recalling short, brief glimpses of

the owl...things she had readily dismissed without thinking twice.

Yesterday morning when she took out the trash...Perched on a limb in

front of the dining room window...Every night a white, feathery flash

across her bedroom window.

Kate slowly backed away from the window, her eyes never leaving the

owl. A chill that had nothing to do with the weather creeped along

her spine, and she quickly climbed into bed and pulled the covers up

to her chin. She squeezed her eyes shut, but didn't go to sleep for a

very, very long time.

The next morning, Kate ate a quick breakfast of toast and orange

juice, and headed outside. She felt the need to get out of the house,

away from Eddie and Pat, and to stretch her legs. It was freezing

this morning, and she was glad she had packed her heavier coat. She

wrapped a red scarf around her neck for added warmth, and went out

the back door.

She remembered days playing in the backyard with Uncle Toby and Aunt

Sarah, and she smiled at the memories. It was a large backyard,

though part of it was wooded. Kate walked slowly around the house,

her shoes collecting mud and old, wet leaves as she went. She was

thinking about her other life - her real life - back in that tiny

apartment. The pizza place was loud and smelled of tomato sauce and

pepperoni and grease. Sometimes at night she would be awakened by the

sound of rowdy customers, and every piece of clothing she owned

seemed to reek of pizza and subs. She knew she would have to go back

soon - she couldn't stay here in Aunt Sarah's house forever.

A strong gust of wind blew across the yard, stirring the wet leaves.

Kate looked up into the bare trees, and the branches were swaying

back and forth. She saw a white flash out of the corner of her eye,

and turned to see the owl on the grass a few feet from her.

"What on earth!" She cried out, but the owl didn't move. It was

looking at her like it had the night before. She realized the

creature must be somewhat tame, to land so close to her. It sat there

a minute, and then began it's wings began to flap around, as if it

were trying to fly away and couldn't. One time it did fly off a few

feet, only to tumble to the ground once again.

"What do you want?" she whispered softly, taking a few cautious steps

toward it. As she got closer, she saw that it's feathers looked

disheveled and sickly, and she wondered if it was molting. It was

leaning it's body heavily to the left, and it's wing hung lifeless.

It was obvious that the bird was ill, and instead of being afraid,

she felt a sudden surge of compassion for it.

"Aw, you poor thing," she said softly as she moved closer

still. "What happened to you?"

Of course, the owl didn't answer, but it looked up at her as if it

knew exactly what she was saying.

Kate stopped a few inches from it, and bent down slowly. "Where do

you come from?" She murmured, and reached out, her fingers just

brushing it's soft, white feathers.

Suddenly, as if mustering all the strength it had left, the owl few

off, across the gray sky and into the wood, until it was out of

sight. Kate stood up, frowning. It was as if the owl didn't want her

compassion, her gentle touch. But that was stupid; it was an owl,

after all!

"You've lost it," she told herself as she headed back to the house.

She refused to think about the owl anymore, but somewhere in her

mind, it's image stayed there.


	7. Chapter 7

"Can I come in?" Kate asked later that afternoon as she peered inside

her uncle's bedroom.

Uncle Toby looked up in surprise and nodded. "Sure." He was sitting

on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees.

Kate entered the small room and sat down beside him. "I haven't seen

you all afternoon," she told him. "Are you feeling OK?"

Her uncle sighed deeply. "I guess so. Wanted some time to think,

that's all."

"About...?"

"Your aunt, and...the future. Since my wife died a few years ago, I

had been pretty lonely. When Sarah got sick, it seemed only natural

that I should move in and take care of her. She didn't have anyone,

and neither did I. But now that she's gone, the house seems so big. I

don't know what I'm going to do."

Kate leaned over and patted her uncle's time-worn hand. There were

many times that she didn't know what to say to people, and this was

one of those times. She hated herself for not being able to think of

something comforting to say.

"My son wants me to move into what he calls a "Retirement Community".

It's really an old folk's home. Says I'd be better off there, at my

age. It would be "safer" for me."

Kate frowned. "But you don't want to go."

He shook his head. "Would you?"

"No, I guess not."

They sat in silence a few minutes, each one in their own thoughts.

Finally, Kate said, "I was wondering when I should leave. Eddie and

Pat said they would in a few more days."

Deep down, Kate didn't want to go. Not just yet. She had the odd

feeling that there was something of great importance for her to do,

an opportunity that if she passed it up, would never come again. She

felt like she was standing at a crossroads, which really didn't make

any sense at all. That was why she was so hesitant about leaving this

house with all of it's memories. She had the terrible fear that as

soon as she drove away, she would forget everything...that she would

lose something very special. What, she didn't know.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you like," her uncle said

softly. "But I suspect you have a job to get back to."

Kate laughed bitterly. The life she had left behind was not something

she was in a hurry to get back to. In fact, she wished she never had

to return to that apartment.

"What's bothering you, Kate?" Uncle Toby asked suddenly, and when she

looked at him, she thought he seemed very, very wise.

She took a deep breath, wondering if she should confide in her uncle.

She had never told anyone her hopes and dreams, or even her darkest

fears. But, she thought, if there was anyone on earth she could be

herself with, surely it would be her dear Uncle Toby.

"Was Sarah..." she began in a whisper..."Was Aunt Sarah crazy?"

Her uncle didn't seem surprised at her abrupt question. He scratched

his head thoughtfully a minute and then said, "I don't know. I loved

your aunt dearly, and growing up, she was almost more of a mother to

me than my own mother was. She took good care of me, and always told

me stories about the Labyrinth."

Kate let out a startled gasp. "You mean, she was talking about it

even then? I know she said it happened when you were a baby, but I

didn't think...I didn't understand that she persisted with that story

her entire life."

Her uncle nodded. "She did. When I was little I believed it really

happened. I even told the kids at school about it."

"And now? What do you think now?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, Kate. I used to have dreams about being

taken away from my crib. Just short, little glimpses, like a man with

blonde hair, words to a song, things like that. But I always figured

it was just Sarah's story in my brain. Part of me can't believe in

things like that. But I knew my sister, and she never seemed crazy to

me."

Kate bowed her head. "Eddie and Pat think she was. They think that

I'm...that I'm just like her."

Uncle Toby put his arm around her shoulder and drew her

close. "You're not going crazy, if that's what's bothering you."

Kate pulled back slightly. "But I believed in the Labyrinth. Even now

I wonder about it. I don't think it's real, but sometimes when I

remember all the things Aunt Sarah told me, I begin to question it."

"You want it to be real."

Kate looked into her uncle's sad eyes. "Maybe I do. You know, when I

was younger there were so many times I wanted to wish myself away. So

many times, after Mom and Dad had a fight, after a kid at school made

fun of me, I'd run home crying and be so tempted to say the words.

But I never did, because I was half afraid of what would happen."

Uncle Toby was silent a minute. Then, he slowly got up and went to

the closet. "There's something I've been meaning to give you. It was

your aunt's dying wish that you have it." He pulled out a large box

and sat it at her feet.

Kate stared at the cardboard box, with it's yellowed tape keeping the

lid securely closed. "What is it?"

"Sarah's treasures." Was all he said.

She sighed and tenderly touched the box. "Oh, Uncle Toby, I think

I'll spend the rest of my life wondering."

"You don't have to, you know."

Kate raised her head and looked at him questioningly.

"I'm too old," he went on gently. "But you aren't. If you wanted to,

you could find the answer to all of your questions."

"Uncle Toby, what are you saying?"

He lowered his gaze. "Nothing. Just that...you're the only one now.

The only one who can learn the truth."

His cryptic words echoed in her mind as she carried the box down the

hallway and into her bedroom. After locking the door behind her, she

put the box on the bed and began pulling the tape off. What could he

have meant, anyway?

But she knew what he meant. Sighing, Kate opened the lid and peered

inside. Tears filled her eyes as she saw the things her aunt had

deemed "treasures": A couple of stuffed animals in the shape of odd

creatures; "Where the Wild Things Are" with it's binding torn;

bookends that resembled some sort of dwarf; a figurine of a girl in a

white ballgown; a notepad; and at the very bottom, a thin red book.

Kate pulled out the notepad and skimmed it's contents. The pages were

filled with Aunt Sarah's penciled sketches. There were funny little

animals, a maze of walls she knew was the Labyrinth, and on the last

page, the drawing of an owl.

A chill traveled down Kate's spine as she stared at the owl, her

heart began to pound rapidly. Quickly, she reached for the red book

and knew before she opened the first page what it was. Silently she

read, "Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have

fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city, to take back

the child that you have stolen."

What did she have to lose, anyway? If she said the words - if she at

least tried - then she would know if Aunt Sarah was crazy all those

years. And maybe, just maybe, she would know if people called

her "Crazy Kate" for good reason.

Closing the book and taking a deep breath, she said the words that

she had been warned against so many times in the past. "I wish the

goblins would come and take me away. Right now."

And then the lights went out.


	8. Chapter 8

...Closing the book and taking a deep breath, she said the words she

had been warned against so many times in the past. "I wish the

goblins would come and take me away. Right now."

And then the lights went out.

A burst of cold air whipped through the room, and Kate squeezed her

eyes shut, dropping the book to the floor with a thud. As quickly as

the breeze had come it was gone, leaving a silent, eerie stillness in

it's wake.

Slowly, Kate opened her eyes. Her heart began thundering in her chest

as she realized that she wasn't in her bedroom. She was someplace

else...someplace cold. The light was dim, yet there was a hazy golden

glow about the new room. The walls were gray slabs of stone, and a

few wrought-iron candelabras stood nearby, their fat candles dripping

and making small pools of wax on the stone floor beneath.

Kate rose on shaking legs, feeling the icy cold of the floor seep

into the soles of her loafers. She shivered and wrapped her arms

around her chest, turning slowly to take in everything. She was in a

castle, that much was obvious. The room she was in now - the Grand

Hall, some would call it -was enormous. A cathedral-like ceiling rose

high above her, and she supposed if she shouted her voice would echo.

The room itself was nearly empty, except for the thread-bare settee

she had been sitting on, and a leather winged-back chair positioned

beside it. The walls didn't have a single picture or tapestry, and

the floor didn't have any carpet or rug. The one grand thing in the

entire room was the immense fireplace. It was made of thick stone,

and it took up nearly an entire wall. Now there was a roaring fire

within, and Kate stepped closer to it, trying to warm herself.

Where on earth was she, anyway? Her mind was racing with questions,

and her knees felt like jelly. It was all so strange, like a dream.

But she knew it wasn't any dream.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps echoing in the distance. She turned to

see a long, sprawling staircase at one end of the room. A shadowed

figure stood at the top, watching her. Slowly, the figure started

walking down the steps, and Kate saw that it was a man. He was tall

and thin, with long blonde hair that reminded her of the feathers of

an owl. He was dressed in a long black cape with a high, pointed

collar. Underneath, his shirt was black silk, unbuttoned to nearly

his navel, his pale white skin a startling contrast. He was wearing a

thick silk belt the color of blood, black tights and knee-high black

leather boots.

"Come now, Kate, surely you aren't that surprised to see me." His

voice was rich and melodious, with a thick English accent.

Kate gasped as he spoke and took a step backward, towards the

fireplace.

"After all, you are the one who called on me." As he spoke he strode

toward her, his steps as graceful as a panther's. He stopped when he

was ten feet away. His eyes traveled from the tips of her loafers to

the top of her head, and then came to rest on her face.

"W...w...who are you?" Kate stuttered, taking yet another step back.

Crossing his arms over his chest, he gave her an amused grin. "You

know perfectly well who I am."

"No I don't."

He raised a brow and whispered, "I think otherwise."

It was no use. "J...Jareth?" It didn't sound convincing, even to her.

He took another step toward her, his eyes never leaving her own. "Of

course. Don't tell me you truly believed Sarah was mad."

Kate swallowed hard, wondering if he could hear the pounding of her

heart. "I didn't think she was...but...I wasn't sure," she muttered.

"Well," he began, closing the gap between them even further, "now you

know."

Kate tried to take another step back, but her shoulders bumped the

cold ledge of the hearth. She was trapped, with no where to go. She

was in a strange room with the very man she had been told about - had

dreamed about - and she was terrified. Dreams are all well and good

when you don't think they can really happen, but now this was

happening, and Kate didn't know what to do.

He was even more handsome than she had pictured, yet there was an

underlying coldness. Even his eyes seemed cold...and maybe a little

cruel. If this was the Underground, it wasn't what Kate had imagined

at all. The castle was empty and reminded her more of a crumbing old

relic, and Jareth...no. This entire scene was like nothing she had

ever dreamed of.

"What?" He asked, as if reading her mind. "Isn't this what you

expected?"

She shook her head. "No. Not really."

He leaned close, so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. His

own smelled of brandy. "You are going to find that nothing is what

you expected it to be, dear Kate."


	9. Chapter 9

Kate looked into his eyes, refusing to flinch even as she saw the

coldness there, the arrogance. So this was the infamous Goblin King,

the man who had kidnapped Uncle Toby and who had taunted Aunt Sarah

so long ago. This was the man who her aunt had defeated, the man who

had been the subject of stories and dreams.

But he was more than a man, and Kate knew it. He was something

magical, because though it had been over half a century since her

aunt had fought her way through the Labyrinth, he hadn't aged at all.

He looked exactly the way Aunt Sarah had described him. More

stunning, perhaps, but basically the same.

"What do you mean," she asked slowly, "that nothing is as I expected

it to be?"

Jareth quirked a brow. "You will find out soon enough. Quite soon,

I'm afraid, all your childhood fantasies of this place will

disappear."

"How do you know what my childhood fantasies were?" She asked. "How

do you know anything about me?"

The Goblin King sighed deeply, looking bored. "Oh, I know about you,

my dear. I've been watching you for a very long time."

Kate's cheeks flushed red. "Watching me? What do you mean, watching

me?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, he gave her a little smirk. It was

the smirk of someone who was greatly pleased with themselves. "I know

your girlish hopes," he said softly, "and dreams."

The dream she had over and over again suddenly appeared in her mind,

and Kate swallowed hard. She could picture herself, imagining she was

searching the ballroom in that scarlet dress. In the end she would

see him, and know that he was what she had been searching for the

entire time.

As if reading her mind, Jareth chuckled softly. Snapping back to

attention, Kate said in a shaky, angry voice, "You're lying."

"Afraid not. You see," he began, inching closer until his lips were a

mere inch from her ear, "I know everything."

There was no where to go. The mantle was digging into her back and

the Goblin King was directly in front of her - much too close for

comfort. Kate clenched her fists together and mustered all the

courage she had. She had never met Jareth until this moment, but she

guessed he was trying to intimidate her. It was working, but he

certainly didn't have to know it.

"You were the owl," she said quietly, trying to ignore their close

proximity. It wasn't an easy thing to do. "You followed me to the

house."

Jareth nodded. "Very perceptive of you, my dear."

"Then you know...you know that Sarah died."

At this, he took a couple of steps back, and when he looked at her

his face was grim. "Of course I know about it. I was at the funeral,

remember?"

"Yes."

They looked at each other a few moments, silence filling the room.

Finally Kate said, "Everyone thought she was crazy. Her entire life.

She never married, you know, she just seemed to be content in that

house with all her things, telling her stories to anyone who would

listen."

Jareth didn't answer.

"I had to know for sure," she went on softly, "I had to know. But

even when I said the words I didn't truly believe..."

"I'm not surprised," he muttered moodily. "Mortals rarely believe in

things they can't see."

Kate thought about this a moment, supposing it was true. "Now that

I've seen you, I want to go home," she whispered. It wasn't true; she

had nothing to go home to, no one waiting, no one missing her. But

she dare not let the Goblin King know her thoughts.

Jareth laughed softly. "It isn't as easy as that, Kate," he

said. "You are Sarah's relation, after all."

(Ok guys, please let me know what you think of Jareth and this

chapter!)


	10. Chapter 10

...Jareth laughed softly. "It isn't as easy as that, Kate. You are

Sarah's relation, after all."

Kate didn't like the sounds of this. "W...what do you mean?"

Jareth folded his arms over his chest and gave her an amused little

smirk. He seemed to be getting great delight over watching her

squirm. Kate realized that the man - if she could even remotely call

him that - who stood before her now was exactly like Aunt Sarah had

said he was. The arrogance, the coldness, all of this combined made

up the infamous Goblin King, who had tormented her aunt and Uncle

Toby so long ago. Kate had always wondered why her aunt hadn't stayed

in the Labyrinth, hadn't accepted Jareth's offer. As a child, he had

seemed both heroic and mysterious, both good and evil. He was

something to be frightened of, warned against, and yet at the same

time utterly captivating. Yet now as she stood here, she realized

that maybe she should have listened to her aunt's warnings.

"You...you can't keep me here!" She cried. "You have no reason. I am

nobody to you..."

"You are Sarah's niece," Jareth whispered softly, as if that answered

everything. He was staring at her in a way he hadn't before, his eyes

searching her face intensely. Kate had the feeling that he was trying

to look into her very soul, as if by doing so he could find some

small trace of her aunt.

"Look," she began again, calmer this time. "I am no good to you. I'm

not Sarah and I never will be. I'm not anything like her, really."

Jareth cocked a brow. "I'll be the judge of that, my dear."

This rendered Kate momentarily speechless. She had no idea what to

say to this man, who himself seemed to have a very clever answer to

practically everything. She had just opened her mouth to speak when

Jareth snapped his fingers and she found herself in another room.

This had to be the Throne Room. Kate blinked a couple times, slightly

dazed. It was strange, going from one room to the next in a split

second. She didn't think she liked it very much.

Shaking off the odd sensation, she looked around the room. It was

large and everything in it was gray stone - gray stone floors, gray

stone walls. There was an ornate throne-like chair at the far end of

the room, and Kate guessed this was where Jareth ruled.

A thought struck her suddenly, that since her arrival in the

Labyrinth, she hadn't seen a goblin. In all the stories Aunt Sarah

had told, the kingdom had been full of them. Yet the castle seemed

quiet, and surprisingly empty.

"So, Kate, what do you think of my humble abode?" Jareth whispered

from somewhere behind her. She thought she felt his warm breath on

the back of her neck, but when she turned around, he was seated in

his chair, holding a long cane with a small crystal atop it.

"Where are all the goblins?" She asked, her eyes searching the

corners of the rooms for any sign of them, but all she spotted were

some cobwebs.

Jareth's jaw tightened. "Around. I shouldn't think a young girl like

you would be interested in those creatures."

"Some of them were my aunt's friends," Kate went on softly, more to

herself than to him. "I would expect to see them here. It's funny,

I've forgotten their names."

"But you haven't forgotten mine."

At this, Kate flushed pink. The Goblin King was giving her a knowing

look, and she wondered exactly how much he knew about her. Probably

way too much.

As if reading her mind, Jareth said, "A girl dressed in scarlet silk,

in a room filled with strangers who don't even see her. She searches

for something - someone - though she doesn't even understand. It's a

dream, but not just any dream, you see. Because this dream comes from

deep within her, and it's all her hopes and fantasies combined."

Kate took a step back. "How do you know about that?" She demanded in

a shaking voice.

Jareth shrugged. "I told you I know everything about you."

"That is personal. It's my dream. How dare you get inside my head

like that."

Jareth tsked. "Temper, temper."

"How dare you!" She said again, because she couldn't think of

anything else to say. She felt hot tears welling up in her eyes, and

she hated herself for it. She refused to shed them. She refused to

ever let the Goblin King make her cry.

Rising slowly from his throne, he took a few steps toward her. "I

know more than you could ever imagine," he taunted. "I - "

All of a sudden, Jareth doubled over, pain contorting his face. He

groaned softly.

Kate stood there watching him a moment, a mix of fear and surprise

coarsing through her. Jareth groaned again, nearly crumpling to the

floor. Taking a step forward, Kate asked, "Are you okay?"

"Guards!" He bellowed. The doors of the Throne Room burst open a

three goblins rushed in. They were short and fat, with warts covering

their faces and crooked little teeth pointing here and there.

"Get her out of here!" He yelled.

At his command, all three goblins grabbed Kate by the arms and

roughly pulled her from the room.

She struggled a minute. "Hey, wait! Stop!" She screamed, but it did

no good. They dragged her down a long hallway and threw her into a

room, slamming the door shut behind her.


	11. Chapter 11

Kate stumbled into the room, and heard the heavy wood door slam shut

behind her. Just beyond it, the goblin guards were whispering to

themselves. She could still feel their nasty little fingers digging

into her arms, could still smell them. Rotted turnips. That's what

they smelled like. She shivered in disgust.

It was clear that the Labyrinth she had dreamed about was quite

unlike the Labyrinth of reality. How foolish she had been to

romanticize it all. She wondered what in the world was wrong with

Jareth. In her mind's eye she saw his face twisting in pain as he

doubled over, his hands on his stomach. He had been so intent on

getting her out of the room, away from him. The look in his eyes had

been of pain, but more than that, of humiliation.

Heaving a weary sigh, she turned to take a good look at the room

around her. The first thing she saw was that it was a bedroom, and it

appeared to be something out of the Elizabethan period. An enormous

bed stood with long, thick draperies of red on either side, and about

a hundred pillows of numerous shapes and sizes, all in black velvet

lay propped against a massive and ornately carved headboard. On

closer inspection, Kate realized that the headboard was in the shape

of an owl in flight. It's wings spread out on either side, the detail

work so extensive that she could actually see wisps of feathers

carved into the wood. It was indeed impressive.

Turning, Kate took in the rest of the room, which was empty except

for one wall which was covered in a tapestry. She took a few steps

toward it, mesmerized by rich colors of scarlet, green, and gold.

Woven into the tapestry were pictures of the Labyrinth itself: A

winding maze of stone walls...a castle...and lastly, a large door

about six feet high.

"How am I ever going to get out of here?" Kate wondered aloud. For

all she knew, the Goblin King would keep her locked in this room

forever. And she was certain the goblins would obey his every

command. She could still hear them outside her room, standing guard

in case she tried to make a run for it.

Not that she would. She was smart enough to know that she wouldn't

get five feet before being attacked by a goblin mob, or worse, by

Jareth himself. He wouldn't let her leave until he was ready to do

so. The bad thing was, she had no idea how long that would be. Would

she be forced to stay prisoner in this dusty old room until Jareth

grew bored with her?

Then a thought struck her, and she turned to regard the tapestry in

front of her. Her aunt's words echoed again and again in her

mind. "Not everything is as it appears to be in the Labyrinth."

Taking a deep breath, she stretched out her hand and gently touched

the tapestry where the picture of the door was. Just as she had

hoped, her hand went straight through it. Excited now, Kate stepped

all the way through the tapestry, until she was on the other side.

She found herself in a dark corridor. The air was musty and cobwebs

hung like shrouds along the walls. She had no idea what part of the

castle she was in, but it didn't matter. She had won a small part of

the battle.

She knew it was true what Aunt Sarah had always said, "Never take

anything for granted in the Labyrinth". With renewed confidence, Kate

started to make her way down the long hall.

Not so very far away in the Throne Room, Jareth was standing looking

out the window. The fierce pain had subsided now, gone as quickly as

it had come. There was no way to know when an attack would seize him,

but he had hoped it would never be in her presence.

Gripping the cold wall on either side of the window, he cursed under

his breath. He was angry. Angry at himself for not being able to

control the pain, angry that he had shown weakness in front of her,

angry at her for looking into his eyes and seeing the torment there.

He knew she saw it, he was certain of it. He refused to show any sign

of true emotion with her; he had shown his feeling once with her aunt

and he had lost. He would not make that fatal mistake again.

Humans were so different than he was. They wore their emotions on

their sleeves for all the world to see. He could take one look at

them and know what they were feeling: sadness, happiness, pain. And

he refused to let anyone - most of all that girl - see his

vulnerability.

His thoughts drifted to Kate, and he cursed again, louder this time.

He needed her, but he bloody well wasn't going to let her know it.


	12. Chapter 12

Kate glanced at her wrist-watch, wondering how long exactly she had

been in the Underground. It seemed about an hour, and she suspected

that back home, everyone would be asleep by now, not having any idea

what she was going through. But as she peered down at the hands of

the watch, she was surprised to find they had stopped. Is that what

happened here? Did time stop? Or wasn't her watch working because it

had 12 hours instead of 13? Shrugging, she began her steady pace down

the dark corridor. The strange thought entered her mind that maybe

this hallway was endless...maybe it stretched on forever and ever. It

felt like a kind of limbo she was in, because she had been walking

down it for a long time now and hadn't seen any sign of an exit.

At that exact moment she spotted a closed door on the left side of

the hall. She walked over to it and opened it quickly. It didn't

occur to her what might be on the other side of it, that in the

Labyrinth it was oftentimes dangerous and foolhardy to go about

opening doors without any thought. As it turned out, nothing remotely

terrible waited on the other side. At least, that's what she hoped as

she entered the dark room...

It was a chamber of sorts, not as dingy and sparse as the others in

the castle. Rich red carpeting covered the floor, and an immense

black marble fireplace stood on the opposite wall. Gold candelabras

sat on either side of the mantle, though it appeared as if they

hadn't been used in some time.

Turning, Kate spied a bed nearby; it was tall and had looming four-

posters, and black satin covered the mattress. She quickly realized

this wasn't just any other room...this was for someone very

important. A chill went down her spine as she wondered if this was

the Goblin King's bedchamber. If it was, it was just possibly the

most dangerous place to be in the entire Underground.

She knew she would leave right this minute, but something made her

pause. Curiosity got the better of her and she lingered for a moment,

her gaze traveling slowly around the room, trying to take it all in

and brand it into memory.

It was then that it caught her eye, hanging over the fireplace. It

was a wonder she hadn't seen it before. Hanging in the center of the

wall was a giant portrait of her Aunt Sarah. Or was it Kate herself?

The young woman stared back at her with chocolate eyes, eyes that

looked sad yet fascinated at the same time. She had long, dark hair

that was draped about her shoulders, and she was wearing a down of

the strangest color Kate had ever seen. In one light it appeared

white, in the next, red. Magic, she thought, even as she stepped

closer.

"Psst! Miss! Miss!"

Kate spun around towards the sound of the voice, but saw no one.

"Over here, in the web."

Kate looked at the small spider's web hanging like a piece of

delicate lace on the corner of the gold frame. She let out a gasp of

surprise as she saw a small black spider with blue eyes staring at her

and nodding it's head. It was wearing a vest coat of shiny purple

material, and on it's head sat a top hat.

"Did you just...talk to me?" She asked in a hushed whisper.

The spider nodded. "I did. What's the matter with you, anyway?

Haven't you ever seen a talking spider before?"

The creature seemed slightly offended. "Honestly, no," Kate told

it. "In my world, this would be impossible."

"Your world, eh? Well then, what world do you come from?"

"Uh...earth."

The spider sighed loudly. "That explains everything. So, you're a

human. I thought you were a ghost. A much more likely possibility,

I'll tell you."

Kate frowned. "And why is that?"

"Because there hasn't been any humans in the Labyrinth for a very

very long time. Not since she - " it turned and gestured to the

portrait.

"Did you know her?" Kate asked quickly, wondering if her aunt had

ever encountered talking spiders. She didn't remember ever hearing of

such a thing. "She was my aunt," she added softly.

"I didn't know her," the spider muttered grumpily. "But I do know one

thing. She's the reason for what's happened here. It's all HER fault."

By now, Kate was clearly puzzled. "What was her fault? I..I don't

understand."

"Of course you don't, Human. She didn't understand anything either."

Kate took a step back, feeling angry at this tiny little bug who was

being awfully nasty. "Look here, are you going to give me a straight

answer or not?"

"No."

"Fine then." Kate clenched her fists and stalked out of the room,

wishing with all her might that she had a rolled up newspaper handy.

She had no idea where she was going, and now after seeing the picture

and talking to that horrid little spider, she was more confused than

ever. She had always dreamed of an adventure happening to her, but

now that it was she felt more like Miss Muffet than anything

romantic.

She hadn't walked five minutes when she came to a set of very

familiar doors. The doors that led into the Throne Room! Feeling

bold, Kate swung them open.

Jareth, who had been standing at the window, spun around when she

entered. His face was a mixture of surprise and horror, which quickly

turned to anger. Dark anger. A deep scowl spread over his handsome

face.

"What in the bloody Underground are you doing here?"

Kate swallowed hard and all thoughts left her mind.

"I ordered you to leave," he went on, striding toward her with those

long legs. "Get out. Right this blasted minute!"

Mustering courage she didn't know she had, Kate held her ground. "Not

until I get some answers," she told him firmly.

Jareth laughed bitterly, throwing his hands up in the air. "Amazing!

I couldn't get your aunt to stay and I can't get you to leave!"

Kate felt her face turn pink, but ignored it.

"You are playing a very dangerous game," he hissed as he came

closer. "You do not defy me."

Sarah did, Kate thought suddenly, but didn't dare say it aloud.

"You can't just lock me up in that room without explaining anything

to me," Kate argued. "I mean, what in the world is going on here?"

Jareth narrowed his cat-like eyes. "Whatever do you mean?"

"It's obvious something is going on," Kate stated loudly. "Nothing is

like what I imagined it to be."

"Look here," Jareth started, but then stopped short. His face turned

ashen and he gripped his side, grimacing as another wave of pain

coursed through him. He stumbled - actually stumbled! The Goblin King

never stumbled. He hated himself at that moment.

Just as suddenly as it had come, it was gone. He straightened, and

when he looked back at her, his cold mask had slipped back into place.

But Kate was frowning, and her eyes looked worried. For him? But that

was mad.

"What is wrong with you?" She asked in a gentle, calm voice. "You're

sick, aren't you?"

Jareth inhaled sharply, and for once it seemed useless to

pretend. "I'm not sick, Kate," he murmured. "I'm dying."


	13. Chapter 13

"D...Dying?" Kate whispered, not believing her ears. She looked at

Jareth and tried to read his expression. Maybe he was just playing

with her. But no. She knew he wasn't. This wasn't some sort of trick

concocted by the ever-clever Goblin King. He might be a player of

many games, but she knew deep inside that he would never, ever

pretend weakness. "But I thought you were immortal."

Jareth raised a regal brow and crossed his arms over his

chest. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Well, for one you are a Goblin King, and you seem to rule over this

Labyrinth or Underground, or whatever you call it. And because you

obviously have powers and a crystal ball and...and you certainly

aren't human."

He nodded, looking slightly smug. "That is true."

"And you seem ageless."

"I am."

Kate frowned, frustrated. "Well then?"

Jareth inhaled deeply, stroking his chin with his black gloved

hand. "You could say that the Labyrinth is my heartbeat. I live

because it does, I am strong because it is strong. I am magical

because it is magical. But if the Labyrinth dies, I die with it."

Kate was still confused. "So you are saying the Underground is

sick...even dying? But why?"

Jareth was silent a moment, as if choosing his words very carefully.

When he finally spoke, his tone was softer than she had ever heard

it, and for the briefest of moments, the mask was thrown aside and

she could see his torment. "The Labyrinth keeps me alive," he said

slowly, "But Sarah kept the Labyrinth alive. She believed in this

place, with all her heart, and she loved it. While she lived, it

flourished and grew strong. Her memory MADE it alive, don't you

understand? And now that she is dead, there is no one left to believe

in it."

"I believe in it!" Kate cried, taking a step toward him. "How could I

not? I'm here, aren't I? So your problem must be solved. The

Labyrinth must live. And if it's as simple as all that, I can go back

and I can tell everyone that it does exist, and that you exist..."

"You still have no clue, do you?" Jareth asked, anger flashing so

violently in his eyes that they looked like flames. "You haven't even

SEEN the Labyrinth. You haven't SEEN anything. Your eyes haven't been

opened, you haven't looked...really looked. You live in a glass

bubble, dearest Kate, a bubble of your own romantic creations. You

see only what you want to see, but you never see the truth."

"How can you say that?" Kate cried, feeling a strange mixture of

sadness, anger, and panic. "I have SEEN everything! I'm not blind!

And unless I'm hallucinating, in which case I must be even crazier

than people think, I know I am here and have seen your castle and

have seen you."

Jareth shook his head. "You have seen only what you have expected to

see. Since you were a child you have listened to stories that your

Aunt Sarah told, and you fabricated what the Underground is and what

it should be - even what I am - in your mind."

Kate clenched her fists tightly together at her sides and

yelled, "Then what can I DO?"

Jareth said, "You can open your eyes and see the Labyrinth for what

it is, and believe in it."

"Then show me!" Kate yelled, "Show me what it really is."

Jareth took a step back, and his tone was calm when he said, "As you

wish."

Suddenly, everything turned into mirror, and Kate found herself

looking into her own reflection. But not just any reflection, for she

was wearing the scarlet gown from her dream. The first thought that

came into her mind was, "I look like something out of a fairy tale."

But just as quickly as the image appeared, it began to change,

warping into another image. She thought she heard laughter in the

background...the cackle of goblins mocking her. In a blink she was

staring at herself...her true self. She knew this, because it was her

plain old boring reflection staring back at her. Blue jeans and a

white sweater, her body void of the sparkling jewels. She looked

very, very plain indeed. There was a flash of lightning from

somewhere, and suddenly the mirror began to crack, crumbling all

around her. It was terrifying, as if being in one of those mirrored

houses at a carnival, only to find all the distorted glass breaking

and falling all around you. Kate screamed and tried to shield her

eyes. The mirror shattered into millions of pieces, all of them

falling straight toward her...

Kate was just about to crumple to the ground and roll into a tight

ball when the ground gave way beneath her, and she found herself

falling...falling...falling into an endless sea of blackness. She

screamed again, but quickly her feet found footing again, and the

blackness and the mirror vanished. She found herself standing on a

dirt ground, and when she looked up, she gasped at what she saw.

She was standing in the middle of a vast wasteland, like a desert.

Before her rose crumbling ruins that seemed to be ancient...like the

remnants of some long-forgotten city.

A weight settled at the pit of her stomach, and Kate suddenly knew,

without a shadow of a doubt, that this was the real Labyrinth.


End file.
